Interview with Alexis Ahakuelo, Lexbreezy Hawaii Creator

From the island of O’ahu to, Big Island, Hawai’i, it’s hard to come across a native who hasn’t heard of this boss babe, she’s got beauty, brains, & a brand to back it! The rise of her empire began with humble beginnings as the First Lady & face of one of Hawai’i’s well known local clothing brands. Since leaving the brand, she’s started her own clothing line, which sells out without fail, with every new collection launch. In taking a leap of faith towards her passion, she’s managed to create & brand a growing empire after herself. Since creating her brand, she’s also become a makeup artist, & is currently enrolled in Fashion School. It’s a pleasure to bring you an inside look into the beautiful & passionate mind of Alexis Ahakuelo aka Lexbreezy.

What’s your entrepreneur story?
I guess you can say that my journey began really young. I got my first job when I was 16 years old. I think that has a lot to do with my work ethic now. I’ve always worked hard for what I wanted. My parents taught me the value of money. So even before graduating high school I knew the benefits of working hard. After high school I moved back to Honolulu and started college at Kapiolani Community College. I went to school full-time and worked full time in retail. I worked at Ross and Honolua Surf. After that I started working for Farmers Market Hawai’i. I became the face of their brand and worked at their retail location in Honolulu as well as Las Vegas. I later on dropped out of college to manage both locations. After working for the company for some time, I decided it was time to close that page in retail and start looking at the bigger picture. I knew I wanted to brand myself because I had a big following on social media. My mom has her own clothing line called Simply Sisters. So she was the one to plant the seed. She told me I needed something of my own. I took that advice and ran with it!!! After 5 years in retail, I finally started my very own women’s clothing line, “Lexbreezy Hawai’i”.

How did you conquer any fears or doubts when creating your business & brand?
At first it was scary. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I didn’t know where to even begin. But I started small. Every day I would work on my business. If it was business cards, business license, logos, fonts, colors, designs, or even styles. Once I started the momentum just came. So all that fear and anxiety just faded because my energy shifted.

What is the most difficult aspect for you about being a small business owner?
I would have to say time management. Right now, I am in fashion school so that takes up most of my time. But after class I still have to find time to work on my business. Which is working on designs, ordering fabric, looking for models, planning photo shoots, and so much more. And then I also freelance at Mac Cosmetics, and bartend at Tj’s Sports Bar. So my life is crazy busy ! But I love it.

How do you manage to consistently post content on your personal page as well as business page?
I have to! Marketing is so important for my brand. Especially because I don’t have a store front. It’s free advertising for Lexbreezy Hawai’i. So every bit counts. I also make sure I have enough content to post. It helps a lot when I have new releases coming up.

How do you handle “failure” or push through “set backs” in life as well as the business industry?
Everything is a learning process for me right now. So if I make a mistake or something happens I brush it right off. I understand that right now I am still learning. But once I make a mistake, I know better than to make the same mistake again.

Do you have any motto’s, mantra’s, or rituals that help contribute to your productivity & success?
BELIVE IN YOURSELF!

Who inspires you/what’s currently inspiring you?
My parents. They are the hardest working business owners I know. I don’t know how they do it. It’s a lot of work. They NEVER sleep. They are always working on the business. My mom is on it!

What’s your advice to young inspiring self-made business owners or entrepreneurs?
My advice would be to just try! Don’t sleep on the idea of “wanting” to make it happen. You have enough time to make it happen. We are still young. So anything you dream of doing is in arms reach. It takes a lot of work and dedication but don’t make excuses. If you don’t try, you’ll never know! Also I believe that you define your own success. If your dream was hair and makeup, and that’s what you are doing. YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL!

How do you balance being a business owner, being a MAC makeup artist, & also embarking on your new journey of Fashion school?
It’s tough. Right now, my main focus is fashion school. Balancing everything gets crazy but I love working hard. It’s something I’m good at.

What can we expect to see from you in the near future?
I am so excited to be releasing my first bag collection in a couple of weeks at the Hilo, Ho’olaulea. Also for Christmas I will be launching my very own Lexbreezy Hawai’i signature perfume!!!! I will be heading to Maui in November for a pop up store with my mom, Simply Sisters. Also I have a Oahu pop up store is in the works!

Where can we find & connect with you on social media?
We post a lot of our new upcoming releases on @lexbreezyhawaii. You can also follow my journey through everything at @lexbreezy. Mahalo!